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True Voice Foundation

The True Voice Foundation exists to introduce and support secondary speech and debate programs throughout Washington State and advocate on behalf of speech and debate activities to the general public.

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Speech and Debate Needs Your Voice!

“How many debates, I wonder, did I participate in over a seven-year high school and college career? How many rounds of oratory and extemp? And those are just the tip of the iceberg. Double, triple that number of contest events went into practice; double, triple that number of hours went into research and preparation. It’s no wonder the skills I learned are automatic. It is that intensity, resulting in intuitive lifelong skills, that makes competitive speaking so unique and so valuable.”

Don Ritzenhein (1994), Vice Provost of Arts and Sciences, Macomb Community College

“Not every student will win a state championship or qualify for nationals, but students will inevitably discover that the persistence, dedication and sweat it takes to compose an oratory, perform an interpretation or prepare an extemporaneous speech is the same hard work it takes to survive that first semester of college, land that big job or create a strong family unit.”

“The intellectual challenge of forensic activities is instrumental in the personal growth and development of individual students. Schools unable to maintain or even initiate gifted and talented programs would be wise to maintain debate/forensic programs as the training obtained is highly comparable. Student success and achievement is the major reason that competitive forensic activity should be an educational opportunity for all young people.”

Arthur Voisin (1994), Former Director of Forensics, Southfield (MI) Lathrup High School

“Just this week I was visited by the father of one of my first year “walk on” students. He was eager to meet me because he wanted to know what it was about forensics that made it such a special activity that had transformed his son from a careless teenager into an adamant professional competitor. As his son performed his events at Christmas, his father detected that forensics had brought something very special to his son’s life. . . .”

Clark Olson, Ph.D., (1994), Former Director of Forensics, Arizona State University